Price To Play
by insanechayne
Summary: Connor and Murphy turn away a relationship. Written for blackjackandcoke on tumblr.


**Price To Play**

The two girls look up at the brothers, their green eyes wide with confusion, and something akin to pain. These girls are not like the brothers in the fact that they are identical twins. Both have red hair as bright and shiny as a new copper penny, emerald colored eyes that match the isles of Ireland, the isles of their shared home, and a smattering of freckles over the bridge of their noses. They have full lips, high cheekbones, angular jaws, and tiny dimples in the clefts of their chins. They are very beautiful, and not at all used to rejection.

"M'sorry, loves." Connor murmurs, sitting down next to one who may or may not be Miriam, and taking her hand between both of his.

"We're just not ready for a relationship." Murphy croons as he sits beside the other girl, who may or may not be Shayna, and wraps his arm around her shoulders in a manner that is meant to be soothing.

"Timin's not right, y'know?" Connor speaks again, picking up where his brother left off.

Miriam starts to cry, and Conner pulls her into an embrace, letting her rest her head against his chest. Shayna lays a hand on her sister's shoulder to comfort her, and tries to be strong, pretending that there aren't tears welling up in her eyes, as well.

It had only been about a month since the MacManus twins had met the O'Reilly twins, Miriam and Shayna, at Doc's pub. It was a rare occasion to have women in the bar, and such beautiful women at that, and every man in the place had been hounding the girls; the girls, however, had only eyes for the MacManus brothers, and needless to say everyone got lucky that night. Now, though, the girls were saying that they wanted something more than just flings with the boys.

It had only taken a glance for Connor and Murphy to be on the same page in this situation: no steady relationships unless they were finished with their service to the Lord. It wasn't that they didn't want to meet some nice girls like the O'Reilly twins and settle down, but it would be too dangerous for the girls while Connor and Murphy were the Saints. At any moment some vindictive mob boss or other evil man could burst in, as the Russians had the day after that stupid bar fight, and open fire on the brothers; if they had their girlfriends over at that time, and those girls were injured or killed, while the brothers lived, they would have only themselves to blame for an innocent person's death.

Perhaps the girls would have understood their explanation, but the brothers couldn't exactly come right out and say they were the Saints of Boston; that would bring a shitload of trouble down on them that they didn't need.

"We're not good for ya, anyway." Murphy said, biting his lip nervously as Shayna leveled him with a glare.

"D'ya understand, dear?" Connor whispered into Miriam's hair, his breath ghosting over the strands, and she shivered slightly. How she wished she could feel that every day, all over her body, as she had for the past few weeks.

"No, we don't understand. How could you –" Shayna started, but Miriam cut her off by placing a hand on her knee.

"We knew what we were getting into, sister. It's time for us to leave." Miriam, clearly the more sensible of the two, rose and pulled her sister along with her to the door.

Connor and Murphy followed behind them, escorting them out. They didn't exchange words, merely kissed each other goodbye before the girls slipped out of their lives forever.

"D'ya think we did the right thing?" Murphy asks his brother, second guessing his prior opinion on the matter.

"'Course we did. When God wants us to settle down we'll know. Hafta go to confession for this, though." Connor smirked at his brother, referring to the fornication they had been engaging in with the sisters for the past month.

Murphy laughed and shook his head. "I know."

The girls went home with heavy hearts that night, but the MacManus twins knew they had done the right thing by turning the twins away. They had saved innocent lives that night. In another way they had destroyed that which was evil so that which was good may flourish. That was the price to play the Saints.


End file.
